Pressure Sensing Made Easy with X-FAB

X-FAB is the leading pressure sensor manufacturer in the foundry space. Our pressure sensor technologies are being used for consumer, automotive and industrial applications. X-FAB's pressure sensor offering covers a broad range of technology and manufacturing options such as 6-inch and 8-inch wafer sizes, discrete and CMOS integrated versions. Integrated versions are realized on 1um, 0.6um and 0.35um technologies enabling SoCs combining both, pressure sensing and signal conditioning functionalities on one chip.

Pressure Sensor - Block Diagram

Pressure Sensing Applications

MEMS Pressure sensors have been used to assist engine management in motor vehicles for many years. Pressure sensors perform vital functions throughout the engine and fuel system, monitoring manifold, fuel, air and particle filter pressures. Tire pressure sensors have become a standard safety and convenience feature in vehicles. The pressure of cavities in the car bodywork can be monitored, which along with accelerometers, provides enhanced crash detection that can release the airbags milliseconds earlier, enough time to prevent greater injury.

For consumer-related applications, MEMS pressure sensors are used in mobile devices for navigation (altitude monitoring), atmospheric pressure monitoring for barometers and water level monitoring for household appliances such as washing machines and dishwashers.

As well as supporting customer specific designs, X-FAB offers relative and absolute pressure sensor designs and processes to suit your application. With a range of characterized IP blocks available for immediate use and design support for your individual requirements.

Amplifier (AMP)

X-FAB offers a wide selection of primitive devices which can be used for amplifiers. Beside high ohmic MOS transistors other good matching devices are available for designing transimpedance, operation and other amplifiers. The selection of primitive devices is completed by accurate standard models. X-FAB’s technology libraries contain a selection of different pre-designed operational amplifiers.

Analog-to-Digital Converter (ADC)

Depending on requirements Analog Digital Converters can be designed by using the standard core or additional modules for reduced noise, trimming devices or memory. The use of junction isolated devices makes the ADC design robust versus substrate noise. Zener zaps and fuses are available for trimming of parameters like offset during wafer probing or final test. Several robust ADCs (SAR until 10Bit) can be selected from X-FABs analog standard cell library.

Microcontroller

Different digital libraries optimized for speed, low power, low noise and low threshold are available for all of X-FAB's process technologies allowing optimized designs. For low noise/low leakage applications special junction isolated digital libraries can be used. To store firmware for controller or other data a portfolio of non-volatile memories can be used. Unique to X-FAB is the possibility to use EEPROM and FLASH on the same chip. Hard- and software co-design allows fast, reliable and flexible creation of memory cells.

RF Transmitter

Some applications, such as tire pressure monitoring systems (TPMS), might require short distance, low frequency transmission of data from the measurement point to a central processor. X-FAB offers IP blocks of RF designs for ISM protocol suitable for such low frequency transmission.